CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Mother Nature is finally giving us a break from the cold, and possibly a bit of relief from the drought.

As the area of high pressure centered over the Carolinas moves East, that brings Southerly winds back into the equation which impact both our temperatures and our rain chances.

That setup brings more moisture in from the Gulf of Mexico. That means there will be more water vapor in the atmosphere available to form clouds and – with a little push from our next weather system- possibly even rain.  That could take time, though.  Rain chances are not in the forecast until late Tuesday.  Even then, rainfall totals are expected to remain less than a half inch.  Hardly the soaker we need to help end the drought.  The more immediate effect will be on our temperatures, especially overnight.

When the high moves out, that allows for more moisture and cloud cover.  With clouds present in the overnight hours, temperatures do not cool off as efficiently as we would see on a clear night.  The intense radiational cooling is the reason temperatures have been so cold the last few mornings, but relatively mild in the afternoons.  Additionally, with warmer temperatures being blown in from the South, daytime highs will approach records on Monday.

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